Patent GB-213664-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to actuating mechanism for devices for indicating, registering or recording traffic over stairways
IPC: G06M3/14
Filed: 1923-01-03
Abstract: 213,664. Stansfield, E. C. H. Jan. 3, 1923. Fares, step apparatus for registering and recording; counting-apparatus.-Apparatus particularly intended for showing the number of passengers occuping the upper deck of a tramcar or omnibus, but applicable generally for registering or recording the number of persons passing up and down a staircase, comprises a series of movable steps or treads, the middle one of which actuates the register positively or negatively according to the direction in which the outer steps are used. Preferably five steps are employed, the outermost ones when depressed permitting the intermediate ones to set the middle step for registration. The depressible steps are connected to the ends 21 of spring-controlled sliding rods 13, 20, 24. Upon depression of the lefthand rod 24, Fig. 1, a recess 25 in the back of the rod is moved to release a lug 23 on a slidable bar 17, the rod 24 being held in its depressed position by a spring detent 26. When the next rod 20 is depressed the bar 17 is moved transversely thereto by the action of co-operating inclined surfaces 19 on the rod and bar, and a roller 16 carried by the bar 17 deflects a pivoted spring-controlled pawl 10 into the path of a cross-piece 12 on the registering bar 13. The pawl 10 is carried by a rod 8 connected by a link 7 to a pivoted rock-bar 6, which is connected to the actuating-lever 3 of the register or recording-apparatus (not shown) by a link 5. The intermediate rod 20 is held in the depressed position by a detent 28, and the detent 26 is disengaged by a cam arm 31 on the bar 20 acting on a nose 29 of the detent. The release rod 24 rises partially, but cannot return to its normal position, since the lug 23 occupies the recess 25. When the middle step is depressed, the registering bar 13 is lowered and a lip on the member 12 engages the pawl 10 and rocks the bar 6 to actuate the counter, and at the same time a nose 30 on the detent 28 of the rod 20 is engaged by the cam end of a cross-bar 33, carried by the registering-rod, to reLease the rod 20. This rod rises under the action of its spring and moves the slidable bar 17 by the action of lower co-operating inclines 19<a>, whereby the lug 23 moves beyond the recess 25 and permits the rod 24 to rise fully. The rock-bar 6 is moved in the opposite direction to actuate the register negatively when the movement of the passenger in the opposite direction actuates the right-hand rods successively. In order to render the depressible steps inoperative when used in the reverse order to that required for registration, the setting rods 20 are each made in two relatively movable parts connected by springs sufficiently strong to transmit pressure but weak enough to avoid transmission of stress to the locking lugs 23. The release rods 24 arc also made in two parts 24, 24<a>, Fig. 7. These parts are normally connected by a spring latch 35 but are disconnected when the tail 38 of the latch is displaced by a. roller 39 at the joint of two pairs of links 40, 41 connected respectively to the parts of the rod 20. This disengagement occurs when the setting rod 20 is extended during an inactive depression. A spring 42 snaps into a shoulder on the latch to hold it in the disengaged position until a lug 43 on the part 24a displaces the spring, thereby resturing the latch into position for connecting the parts. If desired, downward movement of the upper part of the rod 24 may be prevented positively and a stop 24<c>, Fig. 1, may be used to limit the movement of the part 24a. The locking detents 26, 28 of the releasing and setting rods are automatically held out of action by depression of the rods on the opposite side of the registering bar, such as may occur when two persons moving in opposite directions reach the depressible steps at the same time, or one person turns back and leaves the setting rod set. For this purpose concentric spring-controlled shafts 44, 44<a>, Figs. 4 and 5, are mounted on brackets 45 on a frame bar 1, Figs. 1 and 3. Fingers 46 on these shafts are engage by lugs 47 on the rods 20, 24 so as to bring cams 4R at the opposite ends of the shafts into engagement with projecting noses of the detents 26, 28, in a manner corresponding with the action of the parts 31, 33. The registering- bar consists of two parts connected by a spring, and yields in the event of both pawls 10 being beneath the part 12 due to simultaneous depression of both intermediate stens and the middle step. Provision may be made whereby the conductor of a vehicle may disarm the register for his own movements. The rock-bar 6 is normallyheld in the horizontal and neutral position by springs in a housing 40 acting on plungers 44.